CANVAS REBEL: "Meet Xuewu Zheng"

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遇见郑学武

美国知名媒体、加利福尼亚Canvas Rebel报社记者James Wright先生为其“名人励志故事”系列文章采访纽约艺术家郑学武

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful artist Xuewu Zheng a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Xuewu, appreciate you joining us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I am very satisfied with my life as an artist, although it is hard and difficult to make money, I am very happy as an artist. and yes, sometimes I wish I had the opportunity to have a stable job as university professor for a long time to come.

Xuewu, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Born in Heilongjiang Province, China, Received BFA in Harbin Normal University in China, and two MFA in SUNY New Paltz in the States. Living in New York.

Xuewu Zheng’s works has been included in numerous group exhibitions throughout Asia, Europe, Australia and United States.

Xuewu was a Visiting scholar and Adjunct professor at:

Harbin Normal University, China; Appalachian State University; North Carolina University at Chapel Hill; Columbia University; Vassar College; University College Cork, Ireland; SUNY New Paltz, Frostburg State University.

He attended following international residencies:

Vermont Studio Center; Frans Masereel Centrum, Belgium; Gwangju Art Museum, Korea; KYARC, Korea; Jingdezhen Sanbao International Center, China; Nebraska Art Farm.

His works is part of Selected Collections: National Art Museum of China; Kaethe Kollwitz-Museum-Berlin, Germany; Australian Embassy, China; Woo Jae-Gil Art Museum, Korea; Ackland Art Museum, Guilford College, The Turchin Center for Visual Arts United States; Gwangju Art Museum, Korea.

Xuewu Zheng:

I examine history and today in a very personal way, think about the cultural and realistic issues between the East and the West, and integrate philosophy, religion, and a simple outlook on life into art.

Also, in a very personal way, I open up the language gap between the Eastern and Western cultures and pay attention to the relationship among human, nature, and modern civilization.

I also think that the process of artistic practice is ordinary labor, a simple and natural creation, and a consciousness of action.

When I create artworks and think about art, it is also a process of my own meditation and self-development. This creative process is more important than the final works.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Introduce the story of my graduation creation:

During my thirty years as a professional artist, my work has covered a wide range of installations, printmaking, paintings, ceramics, weaving, and performance projects, to name a few. The way I create is basically the same as the way Eastern religious believers practice meditation, doing monotonous, repetitive work for a long time.

The creation of the “World” series of drawings is not simply an increase in the number of works one by one. This is a ten-month meditation creation project of mine. The project runs from August 2021, Ending in May of 2022.

During this period, the 20-square-meter studio on the third floor of the Smiley Art Building was almost the entire content of my life. Without everything, the bedroom, kitchen, the normal life of ordinary people is basically abandoned. Put yourself in the small space formed by my own works, and only do one thing: create art.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Be an artist different from other contemporaries, be an artist different from any master in history.